Begin a research unit with Mission Possible, a downloadable online movie promoting research skills, effective searches, writing skills, citations, and Internet safety. Along with the video, find an accompanying teacher lesson plan for providing a great start for the introduction of a research project. A student worksheet goes along with the lesson.

Find ready to use standards-based lessons that teach digital citizenship for grades 4-8. Lesson topics include Communication and Collaboration, Digital Citizenship, Privacy, Media Literacy, Cyberbullying, Copyright, and Information Literacy. Integrate these digital citizenship lessons into the content area subjects, ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Most lessons start with a video for the adult and also have a video for the student. Download videos in a variety of formats (mp4, WMV, MOV) or copy the link provided. The Media Literacy lessons have several examples of advertisement videos that use YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable. You could always view the videos at home and bring them to class "on a stick" to share. Use a tool such as KeepVid, reviewed here, to download the videos from YouTube. Under Tools and Resources find a professional development webinar that hosts a middle school teacher discussing digital citizenship.

In the Classroom

At the beginning of the year, use the lessons included as a basis for developing a school digital citizenship program or even use with your own class. Use at a parents' informational night to describe the type of lessons that help address responsible digital citizens. Post a link on your class website for parents to view at home. Create a school mission statement regarding technology use or rules for technology. When doing research projects, be sure to review.

Comments

This is an articulate and smart program. The videos and materials support the three strands of digital citizenship: safety and security; literacy; and ethical and responsible use.Patricia, NJ, Grades: 6 - 12

The 100 Word Challenge provides weekly prompts and will publish your writing to an audience. We all know that having an audience for our writing makes us better writers. So, write 100 words in response to the prompt on your blog, and then send the URL for the entry to 100 Word Challenge. There is a page with screen shots telling you exactly when they release the Challenges and how to get them published. Be sure to read the information about Team 100 WC, since you must have at least one adult volunteer to make a comment (100 words or less). It is also important for you read Allowing Comments on Your Blog Posts. If you have not started blogging yet, check out TeachersFirst Blog Basics.

In the Classroom

Share the weekly prompts on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students respond to the prompt on your classroom blog. If you teach younger students or resource students, you may want to apply to the 5 Sentence Challenge, instead of the 100 Word Challenge. They are both available at the same URL. The benefits of participating in a blog like this go beyond just writing. Submitting your students' writing to either of these Challenge blogs will provide the all-important publish piece that students need in order to feel accomplished and to do their best. They can also build cultural understanding through reading the responses from others to the same prompt. If you would like your students to write their blogs more than once a week, you might want to visit Thought Questions, reviewed here.

Find unbelievably informative videos about a variety of topics on this YouTube channel. Search an extensive list of subject matter: the environment, popular science, agriculture, medicine, engineering, and more topics of interest. Choose from popular and new videos or click the Videos tab to view them all. Subscribe to the TED-Ed YouTube channel and mark specific videos as favorites or save in your playlist. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable. You could always view the videos at home and bring them to class "on a stick" to share. Use a tool such as KeepVid, reviewed here, to download the videos from YouTube.

In the Classroom

Show videos on an interactive whiteboard or projector to your class as an introduction to a new unit or class discussion. Flip your lesson and assign videos for students to view at home or in the computer lab and discuss questions at the next class meeting. Add your own questions and comments before students see the video using a program such as EdPuzzle, reviewed here. Use the videos as a springboard for engaging writing prompts or to spark a discussion connected with a unit of study. Show your students an inspirational video or two from TED, reviewed here. TED-Ed lessons also has longer videos that include accompanying questions, reviewed here.

Edusight is an online grade book for K-12 teachers with features for capturing grades and comments easily and powerful analytics for viewing and sharing data. Edusight features "buckets" for organizing information. Create buckets for tests, quizzes, group work, or any label you desire. Watch the site's Video Walkthrough for an overview of available features. If your district blocks YouTube, the video may not be viewable. You could always view the video at home and bring it to class "on a stick" to share. Use a tool such as KeepVid, reviewed here, to download the video from YouTube.

In the Classroom

Share Edusight information with parents as part of your ongoing communication process. Use Edusight to collect and gather information for IEP and other intervention and data collection meetings. Track student behavior for positive reinforcement or discipline purposes. This versatile tool has many possibilities.

YouTube EDU features some of the most popular educational videos across YouTube. Explore both elementary and secondary topics. This channel integrates content across 100 colleges and universities and offers access to campus tours, research, and lectures. Scroll through to find videos sorted into many categories such as science, mathematics, arts, languages, and much more. Subscribe to receive updates about new videos added. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable. You could always view the videos at home and bring them to class "on a stick" to share. Use a tool such as KeepVid, reviewed here, to download the videos from YouTube.

Cyberbullying: How to Make it Stop is a short article addressing the ongoing issue of cyberbullying. Information includes defining cyberbullying, how to recognize signs of bullying, how to involve parents, and what schools can do. Be sure to check out the list of five websites teachers should watch out for that offer breeding grounds for cyberbullying. Print or email the article using the links on the page.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

Share this article with parents on your class web page or email using the email link. Print and share the article as part of your class discussion of Internet safety and digital citizenship. Share this article with other staff members, including school counselors as part of your Internet safety discussion.

Practice spelling and review vocabulary sorted by categories. Originally created for ESL/ELL students, this site offers practice for anyone learning English. Choose from the easiest games with days of the week and beginning Dolch words through high school and university. Be sure to click on help when starting to learn how to play each game.

In the Classroom

Create a link on classroom computers for students to practice spelling and vocabulary at their individual levels. Use this site to differentiate spelling instruction and weekly spelling lists. Be sure to share with your school's ESL/ELL teacher for use with English language learners. Share a link on your class web page for students to use at home.

Provide the best literacy program for your students by implementing ideas and assessments from Reading and Writing Resources Project. Find high quality, research-based reading and writing resources developed by a Teachers College, Columbia University and Lucy Caulkins. Assessment information includes running records, the concept of print, letter/sound information, high-frequency words, and independent reading benchmarks. Additional Assessments include Independent Reading Books, Comprehension Proficiency, and Monitor Reading Volume and Stamina with book logs and daily reading examples. Under Book Lists find units of study for teen readers with titles and authors categorized by genre with quality literature suggestions. Many videos depict classes in action discovering Narrative, Informative/Explanatory, and Opinion/Argument writing. One video series shows Danielson's Framework for Teaching evaluations, with classroom teachers being observed using reading/writing workshop. This includes PDF's with the notes and scoring. Find a baseline of excellent student writing sorted by grade level using Readers' Notebook and student writing samples. Nonfiction text sets give examples or resources for you to use in the classroom. Find text examples to use with your students featuring health and consumer science topics.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

Use the free resources recommended by Teachers College, Columbia University to fine tune your reading and writing assessments. Assessments are ready to go and use, and videos help demonstrate quality teaching and learning. Use examples of student work on your interactive whiteboard for your class. Sharpening your literacy classroom increases your effectiveness. Share the professional development videos or resources with your colleagues. Use materials from this tool in your next presentation. Use at Open Houses or with curriculum chats with parents so they have a better understanding of grade level expectations. Be sure to document your professional growth for your teacher evaluations.

Common Core Conversations is your place to find Common Core resources. The Standards, Resources from state education departments, free resources in all subject areas, using tech tools for learning the standards, and a section for parent information provides a great basis for your Common Core needs. Resources include: ESL/ELL, library, careers, family and consumer sciences. Join the online community to join in the conversations.

In the Classroom

Common Core Conversations provides ideas and resources to assure your lessons contain Common Core Standards necessities. Investigate a resource for yourself every week or to share at your professional growth development. Be sure to document your new ideas under professional growth for your evaluation. When hosting professional growth development, begin here.

The Common Core Standards in every grade level has a standard using text features. Each grade level builds upon the knowledge from the previous grade. Lerner publishers has created a PDF source (chart) for teaching text features to meet Common Core Standards. Each grade level provides features found in social studies and science content area texts. Lerner Sources (charts) are organized by features that help understand the organization of the text, text features for visual aids, and text features that point out important information. An example of each text feature along with the purpose follows. Each is given in a downloadable, color PDF chart.

In the Classroom

When beginning your study on text features, show the charts with an interactive whiteboard or projector. Now go further and use a nonfiction book and find these features. Print the chart and use for student reference. Keep bookmarked on your website, so students can refer back to the chart to aid comprehension. Use this guide when students write their own informational pieces. Keep handy during research projects.

Explore geography, learn state capitals, and find interesting facts with this virtual alphabetic tour of states from Montana to Wyoming. Choose the accompanying lesson plan to incorporate motor skills into the learning process.

In the Classroom

Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson about state facts on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Have students choose a state to research and then have them create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Easel.ly, reviewed here. Have students create maps using Animaps, reviewed here. Students can add text, images, and location stops! Share with your ESL/ELL students so they can learn more about the states in the United States.

There are many awards for excellent children's books. This collection of books includes winners of many awards, including the Caldecott Medal, Newbery Medal, Boston Globe/Horn Book Award, and the Coretta Scott King Book Award. Although the topics vary, the level of quality is consistently the same. CurriConnects thematic book lists include ISBN numbers for ordering or searching, interest grade levels, ESL levels and Lexiles'''® to match student independent reading levels to challenge, not frustrate. For more on text complexity and Lexiles'''®, see this information from the Lexile Framework. Don't miss other CurriConnects themes being added regularly. If your library does not have the books, try interlibrary loan!

In the Classroom

Develop your students' love of reading using these fabulous books. This collection could accompany a unit about famous authors and texts. These books provide experience with both fiction and nonfiction informational texts. This list is ideal for book reports or projects. Allow students (or partners) to choose their own book. Challenge students to create presentations or small group projects to share their story. Share this list with your school library/media specialist or public library, as well, for them to "pull" books in support of your units.

Use Sway to create interactive presentations across all devices. Drag and drop content from your device, social networks, and the web directly onto your Sway canvas. Log in using your Microsoft account to begin or create a new account using your email and a password. Add content to your storyline using links to add text, images, and media. Change the look of your Sway using the Mood and Remix tools to change the color palette, layout, and fonts. When finished, click the Share button for options to share to Facebook, Twitter, URL, or copy the embed code. Sway will work on any device with a modern Internet browser and an Internet connect. They also have an iOS app. The introduction video and tutorials are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable. You could always view the videos at home and bring them to class "on a stick" to share. Use a tool such as KeepVid, reviewed here, to download the videos from YouTube.

In the Classroom

Use Sway as an alternative to Prezi or PowerPoint presentations. Sway is perfect for use in your BYOD or 1:1 classroom. Use during your presentations to increase student interest and interaction. Check understanding of your ESL/ELL students by having them respond or pose questions throughout the presentation. Share with students for them to use during their own presentations, inviting other students to comment and answer questions. During Open House night with parents, demonstrate how Sway provides interaction. Use Sway during professional development presentations to invite discussions from colleagues.

Hstry has changed its name to Sutori! Create an interactive timeline, view the Timeline of the Month, or browse through Sutori/Hstry's library of ready-made timelines. The Sutori/Hstry timelines in the library are the creation of Sutori/Hstry's team of historians and teachers and are Common Core Standards aligned. When creating a timeline, it can include video, audio, a quiz, and comments and questions from viewers. Sign up with your email and get a link to start with a walk-through tutorial to help set up classes, students, and timelines. Students will need the class code. There is a part of the site that has timelines and lessons bundled for a fee. This review is for the free part of this tool. Sutori/Hstry will work on any device with a modern web browser and an Internet connection.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

Use an interactive whiteboard or projector to share timelines about historical events and more. Have students create timelines for research projects. Create author biographies, animal life cycles, or timelines of events and causes of wars. Challenge students to create a timeline of the plot of a novel. If you teach chemistry, have students create illustrated sequences explaining oxidation or reduction (or both). Have elementary students interview grandparents and create a class timeline about their grandparents for Grandparents' Day. In world language classes, have students create a timeline of their family in the language to master using vocabulary about relatives, jobs, and more (and verb tenses!). Students learn about photo selection, detail writing, chronological order, and more while creating the timelines of their choice. Making a timeline is also a good way to review the history of a current event or cultural developments.

Everyone loves a good joke or riddle, and you do not need any bells and whistles to get one across. At this site find ten categories and over 300 jokes and riddles all free to use. Enjoy the jokes sequentially, choose a category, or take your chances with a random pick. All jokes and riddles are suitable for all age groups.

In the Classroom

Jokes and riddles make excellent language exercises, and kids love them. Once the students have guessed the answer, use the sentences for grammar practice by identifying parts of speech, subject and predicate, and even diagramming. Younger students and ESL/ELL students can learn new vocabulary words, too. The twist and/or play on words will surely attract your gifted students. Once you have gone through several of these, encourage students to create their own and share with the class. If you would like to take this one step further, see the TeachersFirst review forI Spy Riddle Rhymes with Jean Marzollo reviewed here.

Instantly grammar check any piece of writing using GrammarCheck's editor. Simply copy/paste your text into this website, and receive instant feedback. Click on the color coded information and find style suggestions, spelling errors, and grammar suggestions. There is a premium option with more features.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

Use this highly visual revision program with your students who are ready to refine and improve their writing. Use GrammarCheck for revision after editing of grammar and mechanics is complete. Partner an advanced writer with one not so advanced and have them use GrammarCheck to improve their styles. Put the link to this site on your class web page for students and parents to use from home. Remind seniors to use it for their college essays. Use this tool to polish your professional writing, parent newsletters, blog posts, and papers for grad classes!

Join Tripp and his brother Ping on a mission around the globe. Register for this site and view exciting travel videos designed to teach English! The videos clarify difficult words. You can also see the city where you are traveling. After the short videos, answer questions about characters and words in the video. Listening activities include rehearing the text of the video and choosing the correct response. One activity demonstrates how underlined words are linked to a picture dictionary; the explanations for the words come orally. Although the changes to the next page are a bit slow, the game format motivates you to want to go on and find out what the next task is. The few free lessons on the site make it fun and useful.

In the Classroom

Share this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Give your ESL/ELL students this activity when they are trying to learn directions. Going through the interactive requires them to use enough reading skills to justify the fairly small number of free trips available.

Explore geography, learn state capitals, and find interesting facts with this video alphabetic tour of states from Alabama to Missouri. Choose the accompanying lesson plan to incorporate motor skills into the learning process.

In the Classroom

Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Have students choose a state to research then have them create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Easel.ly, reviewed here. Have students create maps using Animaps, reviewed here. Students can add text, images, and location stops! Share with your ESL/ELL students so they can learn more about the states in the United States.

Add logic and creative thinking to any curriculum. Go to Games and Puzzles at A Kid's Heart. Find all types of jigsaw puzzles (row-swapping, tile swapping, rotating pieces). Find the differences, five in a line, dress up, animal, and math are other activities and puzzles. There are word searches, word activities, and photo puzzlers. Under Teacher Tools and Downloads, find Cleft the Clown's entertaining spelling practice! In addition to these interactives, find free clip art.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

Introduce games and puzzles on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Organize interesting whole class activities after children meet a motivational challenge. Need an extra challenge for quick finishers? Find it at A Kids' Heart. When you have a challenging student, use as an incentive. Add at center computers to bring a bit of variety into your usual rotations. Be sure ESL/ELL students participate! They will be instantly successful. Use as an example to show students how to design their own games. Have students use the free clip art for this. Click on the Teacher Tools to find other activities and support.